we should forget that any other want existed: our entreaties would rise in energy and earnestness as we moved forward to the attainment of the blessing our cry would ascend, and peal with ceaseless importunity at the gate of heaven: would go in unto the Almighty, even into his holy place; we should ask, and seek, and knock, till he had bestowed it with a liberality which left nothing for our fears to apprehend, or our expectations to desire.

But is there ground to believe that our earnest application for this ineffable good would be crowned with success? For, in proportion as the value and necessity of an object rise on our view, our demand for encouragement to pursue it rises also. Two things are observable, in reply. The first is, that the gift of the Spirit, which is the only indispensable good, is the only blessing which is promised with unconditional, absolute certainty. and thes econd is, that it is the absolute and essential goodness of this blessing which enables the Almighty to promise it unconditionally. If, like all subordinate blessings, its character were mutable, and its value dependent on circumstances, like them it could only be made the subject of a conditional promise; the mere mutability of its nature, and the consequent possibility of its becoming an evil, would have made it incapable of an absolute promise. But the intrinsic and immutable goodness of the gift enables the Divine Promiser to say of it, what he can say of no inferior blessing, Ask, and ye shall receive; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.'

6

The student of mechanical philosophy is aware that dynamics, or the science of force and motion, enters into nearly every physical inquiry; that it is placed at the head of all the sciences; and that, happily for human knowledge, it is one in which certainty is attainable equal to that of mathematical demonstration. Indeed-what is

true of no other branch of physical science-our knowledge of dynamics, of motion and its communication, is only limited by that of pure mathematics. Now let our present subject be denominated spiritual dynamics, and the analogy of these remarks will be obvious. The divine Spirit is the author of all motion in the moral world; the science of spiritual force and motion, originating in him, is at the head of all the doctrines of evangelical religion; it enters into all our religious calculations; and happily for our hopes and endeavors, it is one in which every step may be taken with absolute certainty. Indeed—what is true of no other promised good-the measure in which we receive his influence is determined only by the measure of our desires after it, or by the limit of our capacity to enjoy it. Every one,' saith Christ, 'that asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth.' He would have us observe that he is not propounding a theory, but stating a fact: that he is expounding a law of the divine government, a law which has established a certain connexion between asking for the Holy Spirit and receiving it; and that could we appeal to all who have made the experiment, we should find that this order was never violated; that could we interrogate each of that throng without number who have sought the gift, they would testify with one consent, that they all received to the utmost amount of their desires, and abundantly more.

Prior, indeed, to the act of regeneration, and as to the time and manner of that event, the wind itself is not more uncontrolable and free than is the agency of the Holy Spirit. He illustrates his sovereignty by acting where he listeth: asserts and magnifies the royalty of his grace by selecting the most unlikely objects, and thus pouring contempt on human calculations. But, in all his subsequent communications, he voluntarily binds himself to act

by a rule which man can understand and employ, voluntarily subjects his influence to the call of prayer, and in a sense, resigns his sceptre into the hand of faith. Amazing condescension! as if only concerned to bring us to the footstool of mercy, and as if fearful lest the recollection of his sovereignty should deter us from appoaching, he actually merges that sovereignty; yes, at the tremendous risk of seeing us erase the doctrine of his absolute liberty from our creed, of hearing us deny the sovereignty of his operations, he in effect, throws up the high prerogative, brings himself under obligation, irrevocably binds himself to answer prayer.

To encourage our application for the Holy Spirit, the Savior appeals from the instinct of parental tenderness, to the infinite benevolence of our heavenly Father. What man is there among you, who if his son asked bread of him would give him a stone; or if he asked a fish, would give him serpent?' Who would mock the wants of his famishing child? The testimony of universal experience is against the probability of such an act: the thing indeed is possible, but so rare, that it has never been deemed necessary to provide a law for its punishment. So deeply does parental affection enter into the heart, that it commonly survives every other benevolent feeling; it is the last affection which leaves the nature of a bad man. 'But if ye, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children,' said Christ; how much more shall your heavenly Father give his Holy Spirit to them that ask him?' Could all the parental tenderness which the world has contained, from the beginning of time till now, be all collected and infused into one human heart, compared with the unbounded benevolence of our Father in heaven, it would be but as a drop compared with the ocean. And, therefore, it cannot be that the needy and suppliant soul should plead for the gift of the Holy Spirit, and his infinite goodness refuse to give. Degrade him to a level with sinful humanity, suppose him

to be only an earthly parent, still the refusal would be all but impossible. Now what a human father will scarcely ever fail to do, though he is evil; God will never fail to dobecause he is ineffably good.

But that nothing might be wanting to complete our encouragement and crown our hopes, our Lord represents the treasures of divine influence as placed entirely at his own disposal. And where would Poverty and Want have relief deposited, if not in the hands of unconfined Bounty. Like a channel, prepared on purpose to receive and convey the overflowings of a fountain, he receives only to communicate. As well might the sun be charged with niggardliness in the dispensation of light; though from the moment of its creation, it has been constantly pouring forth, in all directions, an immensity of light, sufficient to flood with radiance ten thousand worlds like ours; as to question the readiness of Christ to impart the influence of the Holy Spirit. Let the amazing profusion with which he dispensed it, onthe day of pentecost, testify his grace. Religious ordinances, means of grace, a standing ministry; what are these but channels through which he seeks to pour a constant supply of the river of life for the irrigation of his church? what are they but pillars which he has reared as memorials of his ascension, to remind us that now we have only to ask in order to receive; that he can now dispense the Spirit perpetually and without measure; so that every day might be a pentecostal day, a repetition of his coronation day.

Having become the repository of divine influence, his only solicitude appears to arise from his not finding recipients to share the blessing. As the heedless and the worldly pass him by, he calls to them in language which shows that they could not find more relief in receiving, than he would experience delight in giving; that his benevolent

ye

heart is actually burthened with the magnitude of the gifts he has to dispense, and yearns for the godlike gratification of giving them away. O if thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that speaks to thee, thou wouldst ask him, and he would give thee living water. But ye will not come unto me, that ye might have life. Ask, and shall receive.' You cannot open your eye on the light of day, but a thousand rays from the sun instantly enter and illuminate your organ of sight; you cannot inspire, in the ordinary act of breathing without drawing in copiously the vital air; repair at once to the throne of grace, and you shall not raise a craving look for the blessed Spirit in vain, your eye shall attract him; inspire, draw in, and you shall inhale at every breath of earnest desire, the influence of the Holy Spirit.

The christian church is a region, and the only region on earth, replenished with the vital influence of the Holy Spirit and by making baptism the iniatory ordinance, the Savior has significantly taught, that, while all within inhale an element of life, all without are breathing an element of destruction. By appointing the right to be administered in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost,' he has sealed us to the day of redemption; he has burnt in, and made indelible, the awful signatures of Christian discipleship; reminding us, that, as those who have been born again of water and of the Spirit,' he has given into our keeping a new life, a life supernatural and divine; and charging it on us, as we hope to see he glorious day which is longed-for by all creation, that we preserve that life inviolate and ungrieved.

In allusion to the residence of the Divine Presence in the temple, he declares of the Spirit of truth, that 'he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.' There is a sense in which all the believers, of all ages, are represented as